Heney s



' H. S. HOLLAND.

FIRE ESCAPE.

INVBNTOR:

P tented Mar. 1, 1887,

BY flaw/Kg;

ATTORNEYS.

UNITED Sterne Arnr tries.

HENRY S. HOLLAND, OF 'WIIJMINGTON, VIRGINIA.

F IRE- ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 358,666, dated March 1, 1887.

Application filed August 21, 1886. Serial No. 211,557.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY S. HOLLAND, of Wilmington, in the county of Fluvanna and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in times capes, and particularly in that class of fireescapes comprisingadevice or apparatus secured to a building and provided with means for braking the descent of a rope connected therewith and which rope is in practice used to support the escaping person.

Theinvention seeks to simplify construction, provide means for hiding the improved devices from View when not in use, and to furnish a construction which will be safe in use and can be readily adjusted into and out of use, as will be explained.

The invention consists in certain construetions and combinations of parts, as will be de scribed and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improvement as in use. Fig. 2 is a vertical section showing the devices ready for use, and Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view.

The frame A is formed with side bars, 1 1, connected by the upper cross-bars, 2 2, and the lower cross-bars, 3 3. At their upper ends the side bars extend above the cross-bars and form bearings for the drum B, which has a main portion on which the escaping-rope C is wound, and is provided at the ends of such portion with an extension, D, on which the upwinding rope E is wound, the said rope E being wound in a reverse direction to the rope Q.

The frame A is pivoted at its lower end below the window or eXitF of a building and in a recess, G, formed below the floor thereof,.and this recess is adapted to receive the escape frame, asindicatedin dottedlines, Fig. 2. The

frame is adjusted to this dotted position when not in use, and is covered from view by a trapdoor, H, pivoted at h, as clearly shown. By

raising this trap-door the escape-frame comes to view, and may then be adjusted into proper position for use, as shown in full lines, Fig. 2.

At the ends of the main portion of the drum I form, in two sets or series, radial projections I, the edges 'i of which are inclined, as shown. These projections I of the two sets or series are (No model.)

arranged in alternating series-that is to say, the projections of one series are in a common radial plane with the spaces or notches between the projeetions of the other series, as is most clearly shown in Fig. 3.

The pendulum-like lever J is pivoted at 4 between the crossbars 2, and its upper edge is extended to opposite sides of such pivot and into position to be engaged by the sets of projections I, one'set engaging on one side of the pivot of the lever and the other set on the other side, as will be understood from said Fig.- 3. Thus as the drum is revolved by the de scending person the lever will be oscillated from side to side, and will operate, after the fashion of an escapemcnt, to brake the descent of the escaping person, and thus prevent any too rapid downward movement, which othererwise might occur and might result in damage to the escaping person.

The escaping-rope may be extended from the drum up over a guide-pulley, 5, and then downward. For use by men the rope may have a loop at its free end, as shown, while for ladies and children I purpose in practice supplying bags or baskets, which may be secured to the rope and serve to receive ladies, children, or other persons who could not easily escape in the manner illustrated in Fig. 1. Theupwinding rope extends from the drum up over an elevated guide, 6, and then depends, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This rope and its weight, as will be understood, serve to balance and ease somewhat the descent of the escaping person; but its principal purpose is to upwind the eseaping'rope after it has served for the descent of one person, in order that a number of persons may escape in succession. The lever, being pivoted between the upper cross-bars of the frame and extended between the lower crossbars thereof, is thereby prevented from being forced to one side in the direction of its pivot, and is held firmly and easily in position, as will be seen.

My escape may be quickly adjusted for use by any inmate of a house, and may be manipulated without the aid of a fireman or other skilled person.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. The combination of the framing,thc drum ICO provided with two sets or series of radial pro jections havinginclined edges,and a pendulumlike lever pivoted below said drum and arranged to be alternately engaged by the pro- 5 jections of the opposite sets of the drum, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination ofthe framing, the drum provided with two sets or series of radial projections, and the pivoted pendulum-like lever IO having its top edge extended and arranged to p be engaged by the projections of the drum, the projectionsof the opposite sets or series of the drum being arranged alternately, substantially as set forth. 1

3. The combination of the main frame hav- 1 5 ing side bars, 1 1, upper cross-bars, 2 2, and lower cross-bars, 3 3, the drum journaled between the side bars and having projections arranged-in two sets or series, and the lever pivoted between the cross-bars 2 2 and having its 20 upper edge arranged to be engaged by the projections on the drum and its lower end extended between the lower crossbars, 3 3, substantially as set forth.

HENRY S. HOLLAND.

Witnesses:

P. B. 'TURPIN, SoLoN O. KEMON. 

